QSFP-DD (Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable Double Density) transceivers double the number of high-speed electrical interfaces in QSFP to achieve 400G Ethernet speeds – and double them again to reach 800G. As a leading form factor for 400ZR and 800ZR, QSFP-DD delivers cost-efficient, interoperable connectivity with extended reach and simplified deployments for metro, regional and DCI networks.
Smartoptics range of QSFP-DD transceivers
Smartoptics has several varieties of QSFP-DD transceivers for high-bandwidth service provider networks and data center interconnects, including:
QSFP-DD for short-range multimode – High-density connectivity within data centers, supporting transmission over ribbon fiber.
QSFP-DD for medium-range single-mode – Designed for extended reach over duplex fiber, covering distances up to 40 km.
QSFP-DD for coherent DWDM – Optimized for metro and regional transport, supporting amplified DWDM networks and ROADM architectures.
QSFP-DD for 2x100G – Enables two independent 100G connections over single-mode fiber for flexible network scaling.
Smartoptics400G coherent QSFP-DD transceivers offer three rareadvantages for specific use cases. These include OTN compliance with Open ROADM interoperability for enhanced performance and seamless multi-vendor integration. AES-256 encryption is also provided for easy-to-deploy and cost-efficient Layer 1 security. Additionally, they support 200G transmission over 50GHz-spaced DWDM networks, doubling capacity in brownfield deployments with minimal infrastructure changes.
100G-400G OTN capable versions supporting Open ROADM
Compliant with 800ZR/400ZR for cost efficiency and interoperability
Cost-efficient and easy-to-deploy AES-256 encryption
Breakout to 4/8× 100G QSFP28 or 2× 400G QSFP-DD
200G with 16QAM modulation for 50GHz spaced filters
Rigorously tested for thermal, electrical and optical reliability
Enhanced digital diagnostic information via I2C interface
Dedicated 24/7 in-house support
Multi-source agreement (MSA) compliant
QSFP-DD vs. OSFP – Key differences
Many network operators compare QSFP-DD vs. OSFP when selecting transceivers for 400G and 800G deployments. While both form factors support high-speed networking, they differ in design, compatibility and efficiency.
Feature
QSFP-DD
OSFP
Data rate
400G/800G
400G/800G
Backward compatibility
QSFP-DD ports support QSFP28
N/A
Cost & Efficiency
More compact design, lower power consumption
Larger, higher power dissipation due to better thermal management
QSFP-DD is the most widely adopted form factor for 400G, with great potentialfor 800G. While QSFP-DD prioritizes backward compatibility, OSFP’s larger surface area enables higher thermal efficiency for demanding high-speed optics.Learn more about Smartoptics OSFP transceivers.
A single 400G QSFP-DD transceiver can break out into four 100G QSFP28 connections, making it an ideal solution for high-density networking and optimizing fiber utilization. All Smartoptics DR4, FR4 and LR4 transceivers can be used for breakout to 4x100G. Read more about how breakout and aggregation work and their benefits.
Multiplexers & OADMS
QSFP-DD 800G breakout applications
800G QSFP-DD modules also bring exciting breakout possibilities with the DCP-802, including:
800G QSFP-DD to 8x 100G QSFP28
800G QSFP-DD to 2x 400G QSFP-DD
Because of the backwards compatibility of QSFP-DD with QSFP28, both of these breakout configurations are supported natively while 800G OSFP breakout is only possible with cables. This makes 800G QSFP-DD an efficient choice for simplifying high-demand breakout scenarios, such as running eight independent 100G connections to maximize fiber utilization. Read more about 800G breakout possibilities.
dac & aoc
QSFP-DD Cables: DAC & AOC
To complement QSFP-DD transceivers, Smartoptics offers a range of cable solutions:
Direct Attach Copper (DAC) Cables: Cost-effective, low-latency solutions for short-distance connectivity within racks and between adjacent switches.
Active Optical Cables (AOC): Incorporate real transceivers with fiber optics, providing longer-distance connectivity while remaining lightweight and flexible.
These QSFP-DD cable solutions ensure reliable, high-performance networking for data centers, enterprises and service provider networks.
Learn more or browes all our transceivers
Learn more about Smartoptics QSFP-DD transceivers
Download the overview datasheet for QSFP-DD transceivers, or browse all our transceivers, AOC and DAC cable assemblies.
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